Great game for the season opener. Miners on top early racing into a 12-0 lead before Heath battled back within two points at half time at 12-10. Miners bossed first 10 mins of 2nd half and score a try and kicked a penalty to open up and 8 point lead before 3 Heath tries (one converted) and a late drop goal claimed the points.

Edited by thestatman, 01 March 2014 - 06:36 PM.

SINGINGMYMUM'SA.......

Views are my own and not necessarily those of Thatto Heath Crusaders!!

Eccles 30 Ince Rose Bridge 6. Eccles played some great RL and could have scored more if they cut out the mistakes, but to be fair, Ince seem to have lost a few players since I watched them a couple of times towards the end of last season, so I am not getting carried away with the result. Well done Ince for contributing to a good, honest game. Only 5 penalties each in 80 minutes, I don't think any for foul play, and the first one came on 27 minutes for accidental obstruction. Well done referee Liam Moore and his touch judges for letting the game flow and a good all round performance.

Good game at Siddal,well reffed...Siddal 20-0 at h time ,increased that lead to 26-0,then lock lane went the length of the field from a chris brooke interception pass,and scored a futher 2 converted trie ,but Siddal held on for victory in bright sunshine and a healthy crowd !!

Leigh Miners started their 2014 NCL season with a 25-18 away defeat at Thatto Heath Crusaders yesterday afternoon in what was an entertaining contest throughout on a warm afternoon at Close Street. It was the visitors who started the game the stronger, playing the game fast and having Thatto on the back foot and they got their reward for a good start when centre Sean MacDonald went over in the left corner, Kieran Eccleston converting from the touchline to give Miners a 6-0 lead. Miners increased their lead on twenty minutes when young back rower Ellis Grimes went charging through from about forty out from a tap penalty to score under the post, Eccleston adding the extras to give the score 12-0. Thatto hit back immediately after capitalizing on a Miners mistake, Shaun Quinn going over to make the score 12-4. The home side had their tails up from this score and started to get a roll on and after Thatto had denied Miners from scoring a third try after they broke from deep inside their own half only to be denied by a scrambling home defence they worked their way up field to score under the post, Quinn adding the extras to make it 12-10 to Miners. And that's how it stayed going into the break with Miners taking a two point lead into the sheds in what was an entertaining opening forty minutes of the season.

The second half was similar to the first with Miners again starting really strong having plenty of possession inside Thatto's half, the early pressure told with winger Jack Probert going over in the left corner to score on his debut to make the score 16-10. Miners continued to press and increased their lead to eight points with an Eccleston penalty goal but again Thatto clawed their way back into the game and when Jack Jones scored on the hour mark, Quinn converting to make it 18-16 it really was game on. The home side had plenty of ball in the final quarter and although Miners worked their socks off in defence with them being starved of possession they was unable to prevent two tries out wide from Corey Lee and Jamie Tracy to make the score 24-18, Jack Jones made sure of the victory late on with a drop goal to give last years minor premiers a winning start, while despite defeat Miners will be encouraged by their opening day performance.

Thatto and Wath start as they mean to go on!???
Great win for Wath in the Cumbrian Darby!!
(Apparently 1000 supporters!! Is this true??)
Thatto defeat the NCL conferance cup holders in game 1.... Are miners a thret this year???